The Leadership Challenge - PriSim

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Business Book Review usinessvieRe wBookWe Select and Review Only theBest Business Books You Should Read.BVolume 19, Number 36 Copyright 2002 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights ReservedThe LeadershipChallengeThird EditionJames M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Adapted by permission of Jossey-Bass, A Wiley CompanyISBN: 0-7879-5678-3Reviewed by Lydia Morris BrownIntroductionThe first edition of Leadership Challenge (1987) became one of the best-selling leadership books of all time and amodern classic on the subject. Now that the recent dot-com bust seems to have withered the entrepreneurial spirit of thelate 1980s, and the innovative spirit of the mid-1990s (when the second edition was published), people are wondering ifwhat was true about leadership then still applies today. As part of their extensive research for this third edition, Kouzes andPosner asked leaders: “What’s new, and what’s different?” They found that, though the context has changed, the contentof leadership remains the same; thus, they offer The Leadership Challenge as a comprehensive, significantly revisedand updated field guide—“a personal coach in a book.” Within this new context, they reaffirm what leaders do; reiteratethe fundamental principles that support these leadership practices; provide examples of real people, demonstrating eachpractice; and offer specific recommendations on what anyone—executives, managers, employees, students, volunteers,parents, etc., can do to assimilate these practices and continually develop their capabilities as leaders.Business Book Review Vol. 19, No. 36 Copyright 2002 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

The Leadership ChallengePART I: THE FIVE PRACTICES OF EXEMPLARYLEADERSHIP James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posnerabout eloquent speeches, but about daily actions. Leadersmust walk their talk so that people can determine howserious they are about what they say they believe.Kouzes and Posner have also found that Modelingthe Way is characterized by the simple things—relentlesseffort, competence, and attention to detail. Becausepeople follow the individual, rather than the individual’soperational and strategic plans, leaders must earn the rightand the respect to lead via direct individual involvementand action. They must spend time with people, work sideby side with colleagues, tell stories that make values comealive, be highly visible during times of uncertainty, and askThrough their studies of “personal-best” leadershipexperiences, Kouzes and Posner have discovered thatpeople who guide others follow common patterns ofaction. These patterns of action are not about personality,but about standard practices that the authors have forgedinto a dynamic model, the Five Practices of ExemplaryLeadership: (1) Model the Way, (2) Inspire a Shared Vision,(3) Challenge the Process, (4) Enable Others to Act, and (5)Encourage the Heart.According to the authors, exemplary leaders understandthat their behavior, not their titles, wins them“Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people torespect and gains the commitment of their contribute to making something extraordinary happen.”followers; thus, they effectively model the--Alan Keith, Lucas Digitalbehavior they expect from others: They areclear about their own guiding principles, they find their ownthe kinds of questions that induce people to think aboutvoice, and then they open up their hearts and clearly andvalues and priorities.distinctly give voice to their values. This is not, however,The authors note that every organization or movementbegins with a dream or vision that invents the future.Exemplary leaders envision what can be. In their desireAbout the Authorsto change the way things are, and to create somethingJames M. Kouzes is chairman emeritus of thethat no one else has ever created before, they gaze intoTom Peters Company and an Executive Fellow atthe future and see the results, even before a project hasthe Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurshipbegun. Their absolute belief in what they envision pullsat the Leavey School of Business, Santa Clarathem forward. And, they are confident in their ability toUniversity. Barry Z. Posner is dean of themake extraordinary things happen. Kouzes and PosnerLeavey School of Business and professor ofwarn, however, that visions seen only by leaders areleadership at Santa Clara University, where heinsufficient to create an organized movement or producehas received numerous teaching and innovationsignificant change. In order to lead, one must have followers,awards. Kouzes and Posner, who received theand people will not follow until they accept a vision as theirInternational Management Council’s 2001 WilburMcFeely Award, are frequent conference speakers,own and commit to it. Moreover, this commitment cannotand each has conducted leadership developmentbe commanded, only inspired.programs for scores of organizations. In addiIn order to inspire others, leaders must have intimatetion to being developers of the highly acclaimedknowledge of people’s dreams, aspirations, vision, andLeadership Practices Inventory, they are also thevalues, so that dialogue can occur (leadership is not acoauthors of Credibility: How Leaders Gain It andmonologue). In order to breathe life into the hopes andLose It, Why People Demand It; Encouragingdreams of their followers, leaders must understand theirthe Heart: A Leader’s Guide to Rewarding andneeds and have their interests at heart. And, if they are toRecognizing Others; The Leadership Challengeforge unity of purpose, they must show how the dream isPlanner; and The Five Practices of Exemplaryfor the common good.Leadership.Kouzes and Posner’s research has shown that those whoFor more information, please visit:lead others always seek to challenge the status quo. Leadersare willing pioneers, ready to step out into the unknownwww.leadershipchallenge.comto look for opportunities to innovate, grow, and improve.www.lpionline.comBusiness Book Review Vol. 19, No. 36 Copyright 2002 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights ReservedPage 2

The Leadership ChallengeJames M. Kouzes and Barry Z. PosnerHowever, their primary contribution is not as the originatorsor creators of new products, services, and processes, butis in the recognition of good ideas, the support of thoseideas, and the willingness to challenge the system in orderto facilitate the implementation. They understand thatinnovation comes more from listening than from telling,so they listen to customers, clients, vendors, and the peopledoing the work. Thus, one might say that leaders are earlyadopters of innovation.Knowing that innovation and change demandexperimentation, risk, and that some failure is inevitable,exemplary leaders use an incremental approach thatgarners small wins. These small victories build people’sconfidence and strengthen their commitment to the longdisenchantment. This encouragement can come from eitherdramatic gestures or from such simple actions as showinggenuine appreciation for people’s contributions and creatinga culture of celebration. Recognition and celebration arenot, however, about fun and games (though there is a lot offun when the hearts of followers are encouraged). Neitherare they about pretentious ceremonies that merely createsome phony sense of “togetherness.” Encouragement is aserious business in which leaders visibly and behaviorallylink rewards with performance so that people can see thebenefit of exhibiting the behavior that aligns itself withcherished values. Leaders also understand that authenticcelebrations/rituals that come from the heart build a strongsense of community and collective identity that can carrya group through extremely challenging“You can’t follow someone who isn’t credible, who doesn’t truly times.believe in what they’re doing—and how they’re doing it.”According to the authors’ findings,--Gayle Hamilton, Pacific Gas and Electricthis set of skills and practices is availableterm. The authors emphasize that the key componentto everyone, at every level of society and the organization,here is learning. Although risk and failure are inherentnot just to the charismatic few. And, in fact, it is becauseand necessary components of experimentation, it is notso many everyday leaders exist, in everyday circumstances,possible to fail continually and still succeed as a leader.that extraordinary things are accomplished on a regular“As weather shapes mountains, problems shape leaders.basis. The evidence also shows that leadership is a Leaders are learners. They learn from their failures asrelationship; in every situation and every action, successwell as their successes.”is a function of how well people work and play together.Realizing that a single person cannot turn grandNonetheless, the five practices only constitute part of thedreams into significant realities, exemplary leaders fosterpicture. Kouzes and Posner view leadership as a reciprocalcollaboration and build trust so as to enable others to act.process between those who aspire to lead and those whoThey understand that leadership is a team effort that goeschoose to follow. Thus, they state that strategies, tactics, andbeyond a few direct reports or close confidants to includeskills are useless if one does not understand the dynamicseveryone who has a stake in the vision. They understandof this relationship.that command-and-control techniques no longer apply;Research shows that the characteristics that people mostthus, they work to enable their followers to feel a sense oflook for and admire in a leader have remained constantpersonal power and ownership so that they will be strong,over the years. They are honesty, the ability to look ahead,capable, and committed enough to deliver on the promisescompetence, and the ability to inspire, with honestythey make. This kind of enabling is essential, for if peopleemerging as the single most important ingredient in thefeel weak, dependent, or alienated, they do not perform atleader-constituent relationship. Communications expertstheir best nor do they stay the course. Kouzes and Posnerrefer to these key characteristics as “source credibility.”note that when leadership is a relationship founded onPeople must be able to believe in their leaders and trusttrust and confidence, people take risks, make changes, andthat they will do what they say they will do, that they areaccomplish more than they thought possible. In this way,enthusiastic about the direction in which they are taking theleaders turn their followers into leaders themselves.group, and that they have the knowledge and skill to lead.Finally, through genuine acts of caring, leadersThus, credibility is the foundation of leadership.encourage the heart of their followers so they can carry onBecause credibility makes such a difference, leadersthrough the inevitable periods of exhaustion, frustration, andmust take it personally. Not only do employee loyalty,Business Book Review Vol. 19, No. 36 Copyright 2002 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights ReservedPage 3

The Leadership Challengecommitment, energy, and productivity depend on it,credibility also influences customer and investor attitudes.“The center of gravity for business loyalty [whether thatbusiness is a bricks-and-mortar firm or a dot-com] is thepersonal integrity of the senior leadership team and itsability to put its principles into practice.”The question is: What does credibility look likebehaviorally—how can people recognize it when they seeit? Kouzes and Posner have found that people are judged tobe credible when their deeds conform to their words; thus,they advise: DWYSYWD—Do What You Say You WillDo. And, they note that this commonsense prescriptionrelates directly to the practice of Modeling the Way. To becredible, leaders must be clear about their beliefs (the “say”part), and they must act on them (i.e., they must do).Essentially, then, The Five Practices of ExemplaryLeaders and the characteristics of admired leaders arecomplementary. Exemplary leaders get results and theyrespond to the expectations of their followers. This stressesthe point that leadership is a relationship of service to peopleand purpose.PART II: THE TEN COMMITMENTS—BUILDINGYOUR COMPETENCE TO LEADJames M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posnerothers. Record the lessons from the leaders you admire, andcollect stories that teach values. To provide a helpful startingpoint for articulating your guiding principles, write yourcredo. Read the credo aloud to trusted colleagues and askthem to provide feedback on how clearly they understandwhat you value as a leader. And, audit your ability tocompetently meet the specific leadership challenges thatconfront your group or organization.Commitment Two: Set the Example by AligningActions with Shared Values. Kouzes and Posner believethat leadership is a performing art because leaders earn andsustain credibility over time by doing what they say they willdo. How leaders spend their time; how they react to criticalsituations; the stories, analogies, and metaphors they use;the language and questions they choose; and the measuresthey employ form an essential “repertoire.” Application ofthese tools cannot, however, be haphazard, but must beconsciously managed so that leadership performance canbe improved. Thus, the following measures are suggested:Create alignment around high performance standards, acaring attitude toward people, and a sense of uniqueness andpride. Research has found that successful organizations,with strong cultures, are characterized by these key values.Speak about shared values with enthusiasm, confidenceKouzes and Posner note that a“We all have to ask ourselves, ‘How do I go to work today and doleader’s value is not only determinedsomething that will move the enterprise and myself another step inby a set of guiding beliefs, but alsothe right direction?’ ”by his or her ability to act on these--Elaine Fortier, New Focusbeliefs. Thus, embedded in each ofthe Five Practices are behaviors, what the authors call Theand, even, drama. Teach and reinforce through symbols,Ten Commitments of Leadership, along with actions stepsartifacts, and storytelling. And, hold yourself accountablethat leaders can use to move themselves and others toby keeping score of your leadership practices and youraccomplish extraordinary things.commitments to shared values.Commitment One: Find Your Voice by Clarifying YourAsking good questions, rather than providing “good”Personal Values. In order to Model the Way for others,answers is extremely important. Because questioningleaders must demonstrate intense commitment to theirforces you to understand what you are trying to teachbeliefs with each action they undertake. Clarifying one’sand achieve, every question is a potential learningvalues and expressing oneself in unique ways is the firstopportunity. Questions develop others by helping themstep. Leaders who always remain at the cutting edge areescape the confining trap of their own paradigms. And,the ones who ask themselves what value they bring to theirasking good questions forces you to listen carefully tofollowers. Thus, the authors suggest the following steps foryour followers, which demonstrates that you respect theireffectively finding and articulating voice: Become moreideas and opinions. This not only increases support for anyself-aware—get and accept honest feedback. Take somesubsequent decision, it offers the added benefit of enhancingquiet time for personal reflection so as to “hear” yourpeople’s self-worth.voice speaking about what truly matters. Write a tributeFinally, the authors recommend that you conduct anto yourself to clarify how you would most like to be seen byaudit of your daily routines and calendar, your meetingBusiness Book Review Vol. 19, No. 36 Copyright 2002 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights ReservedPage 4

The Leadership ChallengeJames M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posneragendas, your questions, how you deal with criticalsituations, your written communications, your in-basket(to ascertain what percentage of incoming mail relates toshared values), and your rewards and recognitions. Thisassessment lets you know what kind of example you arereally setting.Commitment Three: Envision the Future by ImaginingExciting and Ennobling Possibilities. Kouzes and Posnerbelieve that the most important role of visions is to give focusto human energy. Whether it is a small department, a largeorganization, or an entire community, shared vision setsthe agenda and gives the endeavor direction and purpose.Moreover, people expect the leader to take responsibility tokeep the “big picture” in view so that they can contributeto it, efficiently and with confidence. Without this kind ofleadership, people become frustrated, impatient, confused,angry, and, sometimes, even ill.these constituents how their values and interests will beserved by a particular long-term vision of the future. Mostimportantly, leaders are convinced of the value of that visionand share that genuine belief with others. Getting to knowyour constituents, finding the common ground, drafting acollective vision statement, expanding your communicationskills, breathing life into your vision statement, speakingfrom the heart, and hanging out with constituents so thatyou can listen are just some of the action steps that can betaken to increase your ability to enlist support.Commitment Five: Search for Opportunities bySeeking Innovative Ways to Change, Grow, and Improve.Kouzes and Posner have found that leadership is closelyassociated with the challenge of change and innovation. Infact, they say that, “innovation and leadership are nearlysynonymous.” However, this is not necessarily aboutchanging history, but about making a change in “businessas usual.” Because exemplary leaders“Team members felt strong and capable because their inputunderstand that the quest for change is themade a difference. Support others, and they are more likely totraining ground for leadership—testingsupport you.”--Marianne Hane, Applied Biosystems one’s skills and abilities and developingdormant talents—they proactively seekHowever, before leaders can inspire others to enlistand create new opportunities. They are always on thein a common cause, they must enhance their ownlookout for ways to keep the group from lulling itself intocapacity to envision the future and to open up to excitinga false sense of security. And, they are “net importers” ofpossibilities. Thus, the following guidelines are offered:ideas—always open to insight from anyone, anywhere.Read a biography of a visionary leader to learn the practicalTo facilitate your search for opportunities, the authorslessons of leadership. Use an understanding of your past torecommend the following action steps: Treat every jobdiscover key message about your future direction. If you areas an exciting adventure into unexplored territory. Seekin a job in order to do something, rather than being theremeaningful challenges for yourself and look for waysfor something to do, determine what that “something” is.to add challenge to the work of others; challenge, alongWrite an article about how you have made a differencewith skill and interest, is a major motivator. Add fun toas a means of clarifying what is truly important to you.everyone’s work. Question the status quo; separate theUsing all the information just gathered, write your “idealcritical practices, policies, and procedures from those thatand unique image of the future” for yourself and for yourare simply matters of tradition. Renew your teams. Createorganization. Make it your business to spend some timean open-source approach to searching for opportunities.studying the future. Test the assumptions underlying yourAnd, make shopping for ideas everyone’s priority.vision. And, after you have clarified your vision, use visualCommitment Six: Experiment and Take Risks byimagery to mentally rehearse the skills and attitudes neededConstantly Generating Small Wins and Learning fromto realize the vision.Mistakes. Kouzes and Posner note that a major leadershipCommitment Four: Enlist Others in a Common Visiontask involves identifying and removing self-imposed andby Appealing to Shared Aspirations. Leaders breathe lifeorganizational constraints that block innovation. At theinto visions by communicating their hopes and dreams sosame time, it is important to also understand that failurethat others clearly understand and accept them as their own.is a necessary component of creativity. Thus, rather thanKnowing what motivates their followers, leaders showpunishing failure, fixing blame for mistakes, and/or creatingBusiness Book Review Vol. 19, No. 36 Copyright 2002 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights ReservedPage 5

The Leadership Challengemore rules to lessen risk, leaders should encourage risk,learn from mistakes, and promote flexibility. In this regard,exemplary leaders have a hardy attitude about change thatallows them to venture outside the normal constraints ofnormal routine and to create organizational cultures thatare accepting of change. They start by creating small wins:They set up little experiments and develop models. Theymake it safe for others to experiment. They encouragepeople to break out of mindsets by questioning routines,challenging assumptions, and appreciating diversity. Theybreak monumental challenges down into small, incrementalsteps. They give people choices so that they feel ownership.They say yes as often as possible and try to get others to sayyes as often as possible. They admit their mistakes. And,they conduct pre- and postmortems for every project.Commitment Seven: Foster Collaboration by PromotingCooperative Goals and Building Trust. Understanding thatit is impossible to accomplish extraordinary things alone,exemplary leaders collaborate. “Never underrate theThus, Kouzes and Posner view their efforts.”collaboration as “the master skillthat enables teams, partnerships,and other alliances to function effectively.” However, theywarn that collaboration can only be sustained when leaderspromote a sense of mutual reliance. “Help begets help justas trust begets trust.”Fostering collaboration and creating positiveinteractions among all constituents can effectively beaccomplished by pursuing the following actions: Conducta collaboration audit. Be the first to trust. Ask questions,listen, and take advice. Always say we rather than I. Create“Jigsaw” groups—a cooperative approach to learning inwhich each member of the group represents an expert“piece of the puzzle,” but still acts as an interdependentteam member. Focus on gains rather than on losses.Customize rewards according to the needs of the differentparties involved in the project. Take time for a lot of “humanmoments” (i.e., face-to-face conversations). And, createplaces and opportunities for informal interactions.Commitment Eight: Strengthen Others by SharingPower and Discretion. Kouzes and Posner viewstrengthening others as essentially the process of turningfollowers into leaders. Leaders accomplish this whenthey make it possible for followers to exercise choice anddiscretion, when they help others develop the competenceJames M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posnerand confidence to act and to excel, and when they fosterthe accountability and responsibility that compels action.Knowing that capable, confident people perform better,exemplary leaders employ the following action steps as ameans of deploying their power to this end. They assigncritical tasks and offer visible support. They enrich people’sjobs and use modeling to develop competencies. They usestaff meetings as an opportunity to listen and to let otherstalk. They enlarge people’s sphere of influence. Theyeducate, educate, educate. And, they create a learningenvironment.Commitment Nine: Recognize Contributions byShowing Appreciation for Individual Excellence. Notonly do leaders have high expectations of themselves,they have high expectations of their followers so that theytoo can become winners. Understanding that winnersraise the standards of the entire enterprise, exemplaryleaders recognize and reward what these individuals doimportance of visibly appreciating others and--Joan Nicolo, Computing Resources, Inc.to contribute to vision and values. They pay attention,offer encouragement, personalize appreciation, andmaintain a positive outlook so that they can stimulate,rekindle, and focus people’s energies and determination.In addition, Kouzes and Posner believe that the followingdiverse strategies can be adapted to any situation so thatrecognition becomes a leadership process that effectivelylinks rewards with performance: Be creative about rewardsand make the recognition public and meaningful. Providefeedback as people progress. Set high expectations thatare directly linked to what is important to the success ofthe organization. Promote positive expectations by lettingothers take the lead in setting their own goals. And, findpeople who are doing things right, be sure to inform themand others why they have been singled out, and be generousabout saying thank you.Commitment Ten: Celebrate the Values and Victories.The authors note that celebrating values and victoriestogether reinforces the fact that extraordinary performanceis the result of the efforts of many. When leaders celebratethe accomplishment of individuals visibly and in groupsettings, they sustain team spirit. And, when they basethese celebrations on the accomplishment of key valuesBusiness Book Review Vol. 19, No. 36 Copyright 2002 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights ReservedPage 6

The Leadership Challengeand milestones, they sustain the focus of the group. Thisadds value and a sense of appreciation to the workplace,which is what encouraging the heart is all about. Thefollowing action steps can be used to implement this finalcommitment: Bring celebration into as many critical eventsas possible. Install a public “Bragging Board.” Create acommemorative award that honors exemplary actions.Demonstrate caring by walking around. To spread passionand compassion, show passion and compassion—emotionsare contagious. Find informal, inclusive, fun, and authenticways to celebrate successes, and make it easy for others todo the same. And, set the example by planning a celebrationnow. Kouzes and Posner stipulate that encouraging the heartis not the end of the leadership process, but “a continuouspart of the leadership journey.” In their view, leadership isabout “[giving] courage, [spreading] joy, and [caring] aboutpeople, product and process all along the way.”APPENDIX: GUIDE TO THE RESEARCH* * *Bibliographic notes by chapter and a subject index areprovided.RemarksIn their advance praise, Peppers and Rogers (coauthorsof The One to One Manager and One to One B2B) tellreaders: “If you didn’t read The Leadership Challengewhen it first came out, don’t miss it this time. If youdid see it before, read it again. Kouzes and Posner haveupdated their powerful lessons on leadership, and we’venever needed them more.” As Kouzes and Posner pointout, we are living in a new world of chaos and uncertaintywhere: people matter more than profits, people and theeconomy are globally connected, social capital has replacedintellectual capital, time is at a premium, a diverse societybrings an equally diverse workforce, distrust and warinesshave crept into the workplace, and the search for meaningis more intense than ever.This new context has significant implications forthe practice of leadership. The authors note that each ofthese situations provides countless opportunities to makea difference, and that now, more than ever, business andJames M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posnersociety need for people to seize these opportunities to leadeveryone to greatness. The Leadership Challenge is aboutthose who do. The set of leadership practices offered isbased on real-world experiences of thousands of peoplewho have answered the call for leadership.The authors’ vision of leadership is not based oncelebrity or charisma, but is based on the actions of ordinarypeople. And, they demonstrate through the examples theyuse that leadership is a set of identifiable skills and practicesavailable to anyone willing to avail themselves of them.Kouzes and Posner show that leadership is not about aposition, a title or a capital L, but about credibility—whatone does. It is about seizing the opportunity to learn onthe job. Thus, “Beyond the practices, beyond the actionsteps, there’s [a] fundamental truth about leadership:leadership is everyone’s business.”Kouzes and Posner offer guidance on the specificissues about which actual leaders have indicated theyneed guidance. For example: the values that should guidethe leaders’ actions, how to set the best example, how toarticulate a vision of the future in unpredictable times, howto inspire others toward a common goal, how to create anenvironment that promotes innovation and risk, how tobuild cohesive and spirited teams, and how to share powerand information effectively.Nonetheless, this is much more than a business how-to,it is a primer on living successfully. The authors promisethat, “if you read to the very end of this book, we’ll tellyou the secret to success in life.” In the sense that theydemonstrate unequivocally that leadership developmentis ultimately about self-development and that leadershipis a relationship (success in leadership like success in lifeis a function of how well people interact) they more thanfulfill that promise. They present abundant evidence thatleadership is essentially, a “do unto others” propositionthat’s a prerequisite for any human endeavor.Despite the spiritual quality of the book’s insightsand guidelines, the principles and practices offered arebased on solid research begun almost two decades ago.Through the authors’ ongoing surveys of ordinary people,describing extraordinary experiences, they found patternsof leadershi

The first edition of Leadership Challenge (1987) became one of the best-selling leadership books of all time and a modern classic on the subject. Now that the recent dot-com bust